Anchorage Museum opens major show focused on Dena'ina Athabascan culture

On Sunday, Sept. 15, the Anchorage Museum opened “Dena’inaq’ Huch’ulyeshi: The Dena’ina Way of Living,” the first major exhibition ever presented about the Dena’ina Athabascan people.

The exhibit includes film, life-size re-creations, images, hands-on learning stations, audio and more than 160 artifacts on loan from museums across Europe and North America. Rare objects include a caribou antler war club, waterproof bear gut parka, and dall sheep horn bowl collected by Captain Cook’s 1778 expedition.

The exhibition also includes about a dozen hands-on activities for families such as a re-creation of a winter house with audio recordings of traditional tales. Dena’ina language and oral traditions are important components of the exhibition, and visitors can hear Dena’ina spoken and try a few words in an interactive display.

The Anchorage Museum worked with Dena’ina advisors for seven years to develop “Dena’inaq’ Huch’ulyeshi.” It will be on view through Jan. 12.